Speed optimization of a WordPress site (2025)

Improving your website’s loading speed is essential for delivering a positive user experience and achieving strong overall performance. Even with a modern hosting environment, there are many steps you can take within WordPress to significantly reduce response times and improve efficiency.

1. Upgrade PHP to a Modern Version

Newer PHP versions offer major improvements in execution speed, memory handling, and stability. WordPress performs significantly better with PHP 8.1 or later. Make sure you run the most recent stable version supported by your hosting plan. Read more here.

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2. Enable Caching

Caching reduces server load and allows pages to be delivered much faster. The availability and type of caching depend on your hosting plan.

• If your hosting plan offers server-level caching, always prioritize it for best results.
• On shared Plesk environments, Nginx Caching is available and can be enabled per website from the Apache & Nginx Settings section.

For high-traffic websites, Nginx Caching can significantly reduce dynamic requests and save server resources.

Recommended Caching Plugins

If your hosting plan does not include server-level caching, you can use one of the following modern and reliable caching plugins.

WP Super Cache

A lightweight and stable plugin that generates static HTML versions of your pages, improving loading speed without requiring complex configuration.

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Cache Enabler (KeyCDN)

A simple and efficient caching plugin that works seamlessly with Apache and Nginx servers. It creates fast static cache and does not conflict with themes or plugins.

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W3 Total Cache (Advanced Option)

W3 Total Cache is a powerful and highly configurable caching solution designed for advanced users. It includes a wide set of modules and requires proper knowledge to configure safely.

When It Is Useful

• When you need granular control over caching mechanisms and resources.
• When you understand object cache, database cache, and minification engines.
• When you combine external caching layers or use complex setups.

When to Avoid It

• If you do not have experience with advanced configuration.
• If you use shared hosting with simple requirements.
• If you need an easy, stable, plug-and-play caching solution.

Incorrect configuration may lead to performance issues or conflicts with other plugins.

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3. Optimize WP-Cron for Better Performance

The native WordPress cron system (wp-cron.php) runs on every visit, which may cause unnecessary load on shared hosting or high-traffic websites. You can disable it and replace it with a real cron job.

• Disable WP-Cron in wp-config.php by adding:
  `define('DISABLE_WP_CRON', true);`
• Set up a real cron job in Plesk or cPanel to run wp-cron.php at scheduled intervals.

In Plesk, you can manage this automatically using the “Take over wp-cron.php” option in WordPress Toolkit.

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4. Image Optimization

Images often represent the largest portion of a page’s total size. Proper compression and conversion significantly improve performance.

• Compress images before uploading.
• Prefer WebP when possible.
• Use lazy loading for images and media.

Recommended Image Optimization Plugins

Optimole

Automatically compresses images, converts them to WebP, and delivers them through an integrated CDN.

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ShortPixel

Provides high-quality image compression with support for WebP and AVIF.

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WebP Converter for Media

Automatically converts your images to WebP format upon upload, reducing file sizes without requiring complex configuration.

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Imsanity

Automatically resizes overly large images to reasonable dimensions and also optimizes media imported through XML files.

If you use a CDN alongside image optimization plugins, both may attempt to convert or host the same images, potentially causing conflicts. In such cases, you should configure one system to handle image delivery exclusively.

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5. CSS and JavaScript Optimization

CSS and JavaScript files heavily influence loading speed. Proper management helps reduce both the number and size of resources that must be loaded.

• Enable minification for CSS and JS, but with caution. Incorrect minification may break site functionality, so it should ideally be handled by a technical expert.
• Use defer or async where appropriate.
• Remove unused or unnecessary files.

Recommended Plugin for Asset Optimization

Autoptimize

Provides CSS/JS minification and combination, deferred JavaScript loading, and HTML optimization. However, Autoptimize may conflict with caching plugins because both handle similar optimizations. Each change should be tested carefully to ensure compatibility with your configuration.

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6. Performance Testing and Diagnostics

Regular testing helps you identify bottlenecks, slow resources, and areas that require targeted improvements.

Useful Testing Tools

• Google PageSpeed Insights
• GTmetrix
• WebPageTest

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Key Metrics to Monitor

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
• Total Blocking Time (TBT)
• Waterfall chart details

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Request Inspection and Profiling

• Query Monitor: Analyzes database queries, hooks, PHP errors, AJAX and REST requests.
• Wordfence Security: Displays incoming request activity and helps identify suspicious or excessive traffic.

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7. Using a CDN

A CDN improves performance by delivering static files from servers closer to your visitors, reducing latency and server load.

• Configure CDN for images, CSS, and JS.
• Combine CDN with caching to maximize performance.

Conclusion

Optimizing WordPress performance requires a combination of hosting-level improvements, caching, image optimization, efficient asset management, and regular diagnostic testing. By applying the practices in this guide, you can achieve fast, stable, and reliable performance for your website.